Hei Val,
Michael is bound to want this guy as a member of your family although as he comes from Co. Armagh I feel he may not qualify. Michael might consider doing some research on his own to see if Co. Armagh Orangeman Brother Stanley Taggart who was iniated into a Lodge in that county in 1930 can be given a place on your family tree
www.orangenet.org/lol110.htm Between us we will get other members of your family doing a bit of research too. It is not fair expecting you to do everything.
Val, it may appear to you that I am going off at a tangent here in looking at Taggarts apparently unrelated to you. We are stuck at the moment with Andrew, who we are assuming may have been born about 1800, and his father about the late 1770s to early 1780s. There was an old custom that the oldest children moved to a different part of the country in which they were born or even emigrated to earn a little bit of money for themselves and send some home to help feed and cloth those still living at home. They usually made their way in the world and the youngest member of the family at home inherited the farm. I am doing my best, looking back in time, to see if a thread can be found which will link us to either Andrew's father or Andrew. We need a bit of luck but maybe someone overseas in America, Australia or Canada will read this and say "Ah. Those Taggarts from Donegore, Co. Antrim may be connected to our family."
I realise it is difficult to keep your fingers crossed all the time Val but maybe when you take Brogan for a walk you could keep them crossed when holding his lead. At other times just say a little prayer that we may be able to find some of your 18th century ancestors.
Thomas Taggart (Ulster Scots Origins) Born Ireland 10th May 1728.
http://tp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/northumberland/bios/taggart155gbs.txtwww.webroots.org/library/usahist/honcpa23.htmlYou will enjoy the story about the folk singer spotting the name Taggart on the side of a removal campany's van as well as the story of Captain Samuel Taggart
born Pittsburgh Pa.
http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/livehist.htmlMrs Edith Ashover Taggart was a member of the Ulster Senate (1968-72)
www.ark.ac.uk/elections/hnisen.htm1856 Thomas Taggart was born in Co. Monaghan. In 1895 Thomas became the Mayor of Indianapolis for six consecutive years
www.usgennet.org/usa/in/county/orange/taggart1.htmThe Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet issue of Thursday 8th January 1824 mentioned two pupils among the prizewinners at Enniskillen School (At the bottom of the article it mentions that it was Portora - Taggart Snr (Greek and Latin) and Taggart Jnr. (Arithmetic, Latin and Writing), I wonder if these two lads were borders from Donegore in Co. Antrim.
www.irelandoldnews.com/Fermanagh/18240108.htmlAll the Best,
Chris
